Isaiah 55
I. (1-39) Condemnation
A. Chapters 1-12 - Prophecies against Israel and Judah
B. Chapters 13-23 - Prophecies against the Nations
C. Chapters 24-27 - Prophecies of the Day of the Lord
D. Chapters 28-35 - Prophecies of Judgment and Blessing
E. Chapters 36-39 - Historical accounts
II. (40-66) Consolation
A. Chapters 40-48 - Israel’s God
B. Chapters 49-54 - Israel’s Messiah
C. Chapters 55-66 - Israel’s Opportunity
1 \\#Isa 55:1-56:8\\ An Invitation - This invitation will be to
the Jews of the tribulation, but it is also an offer to the Jews
of Isaiah’s day.
I. \\#55:1-56:8\\ An Invitation
A. \\#1-6\\ Come and Be Satisfied
1. \\#1-2\\ An Illustration of Salvation
a. \\#1\\ "every one that thirsteth" - God has been speaking to His
people, Israel in this book; but now He opens the discussion to
EVERY ONE.
(1) No doubt, there is a special emphasis to Israel. Messiah
desires His own people to come to Him for salvation, but
God is not just the God of the Jews, He is God of all
mankind.
(2) Note the encouragement God gives to those who are not-Jewish
in \\#Is 56:3-8\\.
b. "come to the waters" - The WATERS are the waters of everlasting
life. This is a common picture both in the Old and New
Testaments.
Psalms 42:2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:
when shall I come and appear before God?
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest
the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to
drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have
given thee living water.
c. "he that hath no money" - Salvation cannot be purchased. It is a
free gift which must be accepted.
d. "buy wine and milk without money" - The notion is that the gift
being offered is the best of the best. While water is necessary
it is also common and somewhat mundane. WINE and MILK were
treasured beverages in that day and speak of the cherished
salvation God offers His people.
e. \\#2\\ "Wherefore do ye spend… for that which satisfieth not?"
Israel had turned to every false god imaginable and at great cost
to themselves. Because of their false worship, they had lost
their wealth and were about to lose their freedom. Yet for the
great price they had paid, they were not spiritually happy.
f. "hearken diligently unto me" - God was encouraging His people to
return to Him.
2. \\#3\\ A Direct Invitation
a. "Incline your ear" - God wants the people’s attention.
b. "come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live" - Both Israel and
the Gentiles have need of many things, but what is needed most is
a renewed relationship with God.
c. "I will make an everlasting covenant with you" - God appears to be
offering an enhanced covenant. Notice the verb tense is WILL
MAKE.
(1) God has made a covenant with Israel through Abraham
\\#Ge 12:1-3\\. He added to that covenant with Moses
\\#Deut 11:26-28\\ and David \\#2Sam 7:1-17\\. That covenant
was a great opportunity for Israel, but God is offering them
even more of His blessings than He had already promised.
(2) Although the Gentiles are not part of the Abrahamic covenant,
they are being invited to God and being offered part of a
new covenant. In fact, those of us who have come to Christ
are apart of that New Covenant already. \\#He 8:13. 12:24\\
d. "the sure mercies of David" - Any additional covenant promises
will be filled with the same mercy God has shown David.
3. \\4-5\\ A Sure Witness
a. \\#4\\ "him" - There is some question as to whom the HIM is.
(1) Some believe it is a reference King David as he was mentioned
in verse 3. If so, this would be another reference to David
as he may serve in the future \\#Eze 34:23-24, 37:24-25\\
\\#Jer 30:9, Hosea 3:5\\. However, there is no compelling
reason to see David in this verse.
(2) More likely, this is another reference to Messiah.
(a) Messiah was given to be a WITNESS to the Jews first and
then to all people. Jesus’ life and death testifies to
the fact that God loves and desires to redeem them.
(b) Messiah is to be the LEADER and COMMANDER to all the
world. When Jesus returns, He will be King of kings and
Lord of lords.
b. \\#5\\ "thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not" - It seems
this verse is spoken to a specific people, probably Israel, and
it implies that another nation, one THAT THOU KNOWEST NOT, will
somehow aid Israel.
(1) Strangely, as Isaiah is preaching this message, Israel is
being judged for turning to nations instead of God; however,
in this passage, no condemnation accompanies the prophecy.
Perhaps the silence means that, in Israel’s future, God
allows another nation to aid Israel.
(2) Some commentators believe this prophecy is being fulfilled
now. Two nations which have helped modern-day Israel are
Great Britain and the United states. Neither of these
nations were known to Israel in Isaiah’s day.
(3) And yet, it is equally possible that God will allow another
nation to aid Israel in their bleak future.
c. "and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee" - This is a
millennial prophecy. Because Messiah will rule and reign from
Jerusalem, many nations shall come to Israel to worship the Lord.
B. \\#6-13\\ Come and Receive
1. \\#6-7\\ Come
a. \\#6\\ "Seek ye the Lord… call ye upon him" - In this verse,
God tells Israel WHAT He wants. As God stated before, He
wants Israel to seek Him.
b. "while he may be found… while he is near" - On this occasion
however, God indicates that the time to come to Him is limited.
c. \\#7\\ "Let the wicked forsake his way… and… thoughts" - Now
God tells Israel HOW to seek Him. Israel must turn away from
his wicked ways.
d. "and let him return unto the Lord" - However, abandoning evil
alone is not sufficient. Israel must also turn toward God.
This motion of turning away from evil and toward the Lord is
repentance.
e. "and he will have mercy upon him… and… abundantly pardon" -
Then God tells Israel the RESULTS. He will forgive and more
than pardon them.
2. \\#8-11\\ An Explanation - As if God heard the question being
asked, Can forgiveness really be that easy?" He answers it.
a. \\#8\\ "my thoughts are not your thoughts… neither your ways
my ways" - Things that are important to us are not always
important to God and vice-versa. God’s goal in salvation is
not to make it difficult. The only requirements for the
forgiveness He offers is faith and repentance.
b. \\#9\\ "so are my ways higher than your ways" - God has plans
and purposes which are too far over our heads for us to
comprehend.
c. \\#10-11\\ "So shall my word… not return unto me void" - One
of God’s plans is that His Word, like the rain, should never
go forth without bearing some fruit. So God is giving His
Word to Israel. If they will respond to it in obedience, they
can be forgiven of their sins.
3. \\#12-13\\ Receive
a. \\#12\\ "…ye shall go out with joy… peace" - If Israel will
accept God’s free gift of forgiveness, they will have a joy
so rich that it will manifest itself in SINGING and CLAPPING
THEIR HANDS. In addition, they will know the peace of God.
b. \\#13\\ "Instead of the thorn… the fig tree, and instead of
the brier… the myrtle tree" - Not only will they have riches
within but also riches without. The land of Israel which was
already suffering would again yield its fruit.
c. "…it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign"
The healed land of Israel would testify of God’s good name and
be a sign of His grace and love.
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